


Between the Lines

by Snootiegirl



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 14:14:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6010606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snootiegirl/pseuds/Snootiegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In TCW Season 1, Episode 12, Obi-Wan and Anakin almost capture Count Dooku, only to have Hondo the pirate do it for them. In between the lines written for the episode, another story unfolds.</p><p>Disclaimer: Dialog in bold is drawn directly from the episode and does not belong to me. Disney and LucasFilms own all of these characters and the story plot. I just added a little sub-plot. ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Between the Lines

Language in **BOLD** below is from The Clone Wars television show on The Cartoon Network. Everything else is mine.

 

* * *

 

Obi-Wan infiltrated Count Dooku's ship with relative ease. _I wish it were always this easy to rescue Anakin_ , he thought. As he made his way to the detention cells, he used his speed and stealth to avoid battle droids.

Opening the first cell, he found two Morgukai, snarling and looking to battle through anyone to escape. But Obi-Wan didn't have time for them, so he intoned drolly, " **Don't bother to get up. You're not the prisoner I'm looking for.** "

Moving to the next cell that felt more promising, he pressed the button to slide up the thick door. No one in sight. Good, Anakin, he thought, as he passed through the doorway and into the cell. Obi-Wan smiled to himself. Does he really think he can get a jump on me? I can smell him.

Obi-Wan spun around to meet Anakin with the end of his lit lightsaber.

" **Oh, it's you,** " Anakin deadpanned and crossed his arms in his best "Master Kenobi" impression. "Is that a lightsaber in your hand, Master, or are you just glad to see me?"

The Master hiked up one side of his mouth in a smirk to match the one on Anakin's face. He couldn't help his heart skipping a beat at seeing Anakin, unharmed and obviously in a good mood. " **This is how you thank me for rescuing you? Pounce on me from the ceiling?** "

Immediately, Anakin started going into defensive mode. " **Kinda difficult without a lightsaber,** " he returned, before relaxing at the sight of his saber sailing toward him from Obi-Wan's hand. " **Thanks!** "

Relieved to be rescued, armed, and in the company of his former Master and current best friend, Anakin closed the distance between them and embraced the shorter man. Then he leaned back and dropped a quick peck on Obi-Wan's lips. "Don't have time for more thanks now. I'll have to owe you," he said with a wink.

Obi-Wan squeezed the armful of Jedi in return and returned, "I'll add it to the list."

They separated and snapped back into business mode. Obi-Wan asked, " **Did you manage to locate Dooku before landing in jail**?"

Anakin rolled his eyes and replied, " **Well, I know he's onboard. I might have been able to do something about it if I'd had my _weapon_.** " He lifted his lightsaber but also made an obscene gesture in the region of his groin.

Obi-Wan snorted derisively. "You are never truly unarmed, my friend. I'm sure you would have thought of something--although I don't like that line of thought. Besides, **it was important for you to arrive without it so your capture would be convincing.** " They moved out of the cell and back into the hallway.

" **Oh, they were convinced all right** ," Anakin responded. "Hey, come to think of it, **how come I'm the one getting caught all the time? It doesn't look good.** I've got some reputation to protect. What will Ahsoka think of me?" His pout was so endearing that it was all Obi-Wan could do not to throw him up against the bulkhead and kiss him senseless.

Instead, he decided to sass him back, "Well, **when you're a Jedi Master, you can make the plan**. Hopefully, I'll be dead by then."

More pouting. " **That's just it**. At this rate, you will be! **How can I become a Jedi Master if I'm always getting caught?** It makes me look like a--, like an-- eeopie! A domestic animal, docile and easily manipulated. Not the traits of a Master." Anakin put a strange emphasis on the words 'docile' and 'manipulated' with subtle hints meant just for Obi-Wan.

But Obi-Wan refused to be baited when they had a mission to complete. " **At least you're a Master at getting caught** ," he threw over his shoulder. "And I'll believe you were a _docile_ prisoner as soon as you stop running head-long into danger. In short, never."

Following close behind, Anakin replied, " **Very funny** ," and swatted Obi-Wan lightly on the butt. Obi-Wan exaggerated a yelp.

They followed the presence of Count Dooku to his meditation chamber. The door opened to reveal the Sith Lord sedately seated.

After they lit their lightsabers, Anakin was the first to speak, " **Surprise. Surprise.** "

Obi-Wan followed up with a droll, " **If it isn't Count Dooku.** "

Even with his eyes closed, the Count was nonplussed by their arrival. He intoned, " **Obi-Wan Kenobi. I thought I sensed an unpleasant disturbance in the Force. I see you freed young Skywalker. Where might he be if you weren't always around to rescue him?** "

Obi-Wan felt Anakin tense at the taunt. He put a calming hand on the young man's arm. Anakin looked at him and nodded his understanding. This was not the time to lose any kind of control. He adjusted his grip on his lightsaber hilt.

"Yes, Anakin often needs me, Count. As I need him. If you remember, Jedi are comrades. We can count on one another. Unlike droids, we have a sense of loyalty," he sought to unbalance the Sith by reminding him of his isolation. Being surrounded exclusively by mechanical beings was a lonely way to live--even for a Sith.

As Obi-Wan was speaking, Anakin prowled around the Count, weighing their options for taking the Sith as quickly as possible. He conveyed his view of the situation through his facial expressions. Obi-Wan quickly picked up his message: no visible means of escape.

As the Republic cruiser started blasting into Dooku's ship, Anakin tried to unnerve the gray-haired man himself, " **Your ship is surrounded, Count. Republic troops are boarding as we speak.** You might as well give up. We'll take it easy on you. Promise." He stopped prowling and resumed his position next to Obi-Wan. The two exchanged a heated glance.

All the Count had to say was " **Jedi fools** " before he disappeared down a long metal chute that was concealed underneath his mediation pad. Anakin was incensed. Obi-Wan was resigned.

" **I should have seen that coming** ," Obi-Wan said. As he watched incredulously, Anakin jumped to the edge of the chute. " **What are you doing?** " he inquired of the impulsive Jedi Knight. "I thought you were going to be docile. . ."

"Phht. Yeah, right." Anakin looked at Obi-Wan as if he had suddenly forgotten the past eleven years. " **I'm following him**!" he said. _Wasn't that obvious?_

" **Not _that_ way.** Not headlong into the unknown! **We need to cut him off,** " Obi-Wan chided him gently as he gestured helplessly.

" **I'll keep him from doubling back.** Don't worry, Obi-Wan, I've got your backside covered," he assured the other man with another wink. " **[** " Anakin disappeared with a whoop of excitement.

" **Why do I even try**? Oh, that's right, I would like to keep him alive another day," Obi-Wan muttered to himself.

He turned to run to the hangar bay, arriving in time to see the Count leaving in his solar sailor.

 _Poodoo. Where is Anakin,_ he wondered.

Because he didn't have time to worry or he'd lose this golden opportunity to apprehend Dooku, Obi-Wan ran to the nearest shuttle, dispatching two battle droids with ease before attaching his lightsaber to his belt automatically.

He was sitting in the co-pilot's seat, flipping switches and prepping for space flight when he felt Anakin's exasperation like a scent in the air of the ship. The young Knight slammed into the pilot's seat as if the ship were his own.

Obi-Wan continued his tasks, but commented wryly, **"I thought you were following Dooku.** Remember? _I've got your backside covered_?" He snuck a glance at Anakin to gauge his vexation. Not very. Obi-Wan was surprised.

" **I was. I followed him here.** Your backside is safe. **Hang on** ," Anakin said as he took over the controls and swooped them out of the hangar bay. "Get ready for some fun." 

Obi-Wan opened a comm channel to Anakin's Padawan waiting on the bridge of the cruiser.

 **"Ahsoka. Dooku managed to escape. We're in pursuit, but we could use reinforcements. Follow us in what ships you can round up**."

As Anakin piloted in his usual manner of disregard for Obi-Wan's stomach or any contents therein he might want to keep, the Jedi Master manned the guns. He took out the first fighter quickly and then managed to damage Dooku's escape vessel as well.

From beside him, Anakin pronounced, " **That was easy.** "

" **Lucky for you, I'm an excellent shot.** Unlike you, Anakin. I'll have you know I'm still cleaning residue off the hilt of my saber from your last shot," Obi-Wan returned.

"I'll just have to have a wider target next time, Obi-Wan," the young man replied. He pointed toward the view screen and said, "Well, **now those fighters are attacking.** Where's your excellent shooting this time?"

Obi-Wan said through gritted teeth, " **I'm on it** like Quinlan on a Twilek dancer."

Anakin wasn't so sure this time though. "Uh, **he's getting too close**. There is such a thing as collateral damage--you know, like your lightsaber?" he pointed out.

"Just waiting for a larger target, like you suggested." Obi-Wan managed to clip the fighter but not before the fighter clipped their shuttle as well, sending sparks and flames out into space. They began wobbling as their engines struggled to propel them forward. Obi-Wan sighed internally. He wasn't going to hear the end of this anytime soon.

Anakin fought for control of the shuttle and thew out, " **Lucky for you, I'm an excellent pilot.** And that's more useful in this situation than being an excellent shot--which is in serious doubt now."

Obi-Wan held fast to the console in front of him, glad he had made use of the restraints on his chair. He replied, "I see that your mouth is still able to shoot smart remarks at me despite your ship-crashing activities. And, by the way, **for all your expertise, this isn't a very smooth landing**."

Anakin knew it was true. He could mouth smart remarks under most circumstances, especially when it came to teasing Obi-Wan. Ahsoka and Rex were becoming close second and third parties to his wit as well. But he reserved his innuendo for Obi-Wan.

" **If you'd hit that second fighter, we wouldn't be in this mess.** I think that this mess trumps anything I happened to leave on your lightsaber, which by the way, I had argued against having in the bed in the first place, if you recall."

"Yes, Anakin. I do seem to recall you saying something about not needing the saber to remove those binders. But you weren't doing spectacularly well getting them off otherwise," Obi-Wan reminded him.

"I wasn't the one who lost the key," Anakin grumbled. "And I could have gotten them off if you hadn't kept distracting me!"

"But you like to be distracted by my tongue, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "You've said as much on many occasions." The Master faked a pout worthy of his former student.

Anakin grunted with the effort of landing the ship in one piece. When they finally came to a rest, he shoved the controls away from himself and turned to his friend, "Well?" His impatient sweep of a hand was followed by "The sooner we catch Dooku, the sooner we can have round two of Binder Unlocking with the Force." He paused and then pointed at Obi-Wan's chest, "But I think this time, I'm going to strip you and bind you up!"

Obi-Wan leaned into Anakin's face with a large grin. "Yes, dear, I look forward to the challenge. Shall you time me to see if I can set a record?" And he planted a sloppy kiss on the annoyed pilot's cheek with a smacking sound. When he arose from his seat, he was rewarded with another playful smack to his nether regions, this time with more thrust behind it.

As they emerged from the purloined shuttle, Obi-Wan just couldn't resist remarking, " **I've had better landings**. On nicer planets too. Why can't we just once crash into the middle of a paradise instead of on a Sith-forsaken rock?" Obi-Wan scuffed his feet against the dirt and small rocks on the ground.

Anakin came up behind Obi-Wan and wrapped his arms around his waist. "Oooh, is the Jedi Master lamenting the lack of amenities? Poor Master," he snuffled into Obi-Wan's hairline just behind his ear.

Obi-Wan reached up and flicked the end of Anakin's nose. "Ow," the younger man squeaked and released Obi-Wan's person. The younger man's eyes fell on the downed solar sailor resting on the ground thirty yards from their shuttle. " **Dooku** ," he said in a much darker tone.

The Jedi moved to examine the quiet ship. Anakin used his lightsaber to quickly destroy the homing beacon they found attached to the hull. Not finding their quarry though, they cast around for another destination. Obi-Wan pointed toward some caves that would provide cover and hiding places for a fugitive.

As they approached the mouth of the cave, Anakin frowned. " **Strange** ," he said.

Obi-Wan agreed, " **You sense it too. There are many lifeforms in there.** Again, with the inhospitable environments. I tell you, Anakin, I'm getting too old for this sort of thing."

Anakin pulled a look of disbelief at Obi-Wan and tried to discern if he was joking. He replied, " **And Dooku's one of them**. Don't worry, Master, you're not even half as old as old Dooku. And if he can do this, so can you."

Obi-Wan's posture slumped in defeat. "Thank you, Anakin. That's reassuring. I'm being measured against a fallen Jedi. What else can go wrong today?" He resumed his usual straight-spined stance and added, "All right. **Let's try to get him before something else does.** "

Picking their way around boulders and other detritus, they used their lightsabers for light. However, the limited glow diminished well before the ceiling of the large cavern. Obi-Wan had serious doubts that they would see or find Dooku unless he wanted to be seen and found. Meanwhile, their use of their lightsabers pretty much acted as flares to mark their location.

As if to prove him right, he heard a rumbling in the near distance. " **What's that**?" Obi-Wan asked rhetorically. Anakin looked overhead just in time to see, but not avoid, black rock crashing down toward them both.

" **Run**!" Obi-Wan shouted and then followed his own advice.

After the rubble settled, Anakin used the Force to raise the rocks that had fallen on top of him. Before he even checked on his own state of health, he was calling out, " **Master! Obi-Wan! Can you hear me?** Master! Where are you, old man?" He cast about looking for anything that spoke of Obi-Wan and his whereabouts.

Emerging from the darkness, unruffled by the near-escape, Obi-Wan's calm voice spoke. " **Anakin, when I tell you to run, run**. Just like when I tell you to kneel, you kneel."

Anakin spun toward the beloved voice and the not-as-beloved blasé tone, " **Master, you're alive!** " Anakin, in contrast to Obi-Wan, was breathless and practically shouting, but he quickly collected himself. "I'm sorry I didn't respond as I usually do, baby, but I was confused by your sudden burst of youth and enthusiasm as you ran away from me!" he replied scathingly and crossed his arms in a huff.

" **And where is your lightsaber?** " Obi-Wan asked him with a hint of a smirk.

Crap, Anakin thought. "It's right where you left it, Master. Wanna check?" Anakin leered and tried to divert Obi-Wan's real question. When he saw it wasn't working, he sighed, " **It got knocked out of my hand,** " he admitted.

" **By a rock?** "

" **Yeah, by a rock. It's gotta be here somewhere,** " Anakin muttered as he searched the area for his weapon.

Not helping even a little, Obi-Wan observed, " **That is a feeble excuse.** Just as feeble as 'I have a headache' or 'I have a head wound.'" Obi-Wan laughed to himself.

The younger man shot him a look, and snarked, " **You know what would be helpful? A little light.** And then you can go on making fun of the man you love as he searches _by himself_."

Always ready to lend a hand to a comrade in need, Obi-Wan offered, " **Certainly** " before activating his lightsaber--or trying to activate it. It flashed and wavered in the darkness of the sealed cave. " **Silly thing. It was just working a minute ago,** " he mused.

Anakin saw his opportunity. " **You don't suppose it was hit by a rock, do you?** " he said as he tossed a small stone at Obi-Wan's battle armor. "Well, now, at least you have something to complain about other than the 'residue' on the hilt. Who's silly now?" Obi-Wan reached up and absently brushed off the attendant dust from the rock's splatter.

A loud growl filled the enclosed space as a fully-grown, and fully-irritated, gundark made its appearance atop a pile of fallen rocks.

" **Oh! This should be interesting** ," Obi-Wan remarked drolly.

As Obi-Wan checked his lightsaber and attempted to fix its malfunction, Anakin entertained the gundark. He jumped and wheeled around to keep the creature suitably far away from both himself and Obi-Wan.

Finally, he had had enough. He called, " **Jump in anytime**!" to the other Jedi.

Fiddling with the mechanism of his weapon, Obi-Wan replied, " **Oh, you're doing fine. She seems to like you** almost as much as I do. Try not to disappoint her too much when she finds out you are taken." He lounged against a rock, looking almost relaxed.

Anakin snorted, " **Yeah, lucky me.** Everybody wants a piece of Skywalker these days. **You know, this isn't as much fun as it looks. I thought gundarks were only found on Vanqor.** Although I'm going to put one in your bedroom when we get back to the Temple if you don't get over here to help me soon."

The only response he got was " **Then this system must be Vanqor.** "

" **So that would make this one**. . ."

" **The mother of all gundarks? Precisely,** " Obi-Wan finished his sentence, finally giving up on the lightsaber temporarily. He looked up and tried not to laugh at Anakin hanging upside down from a large gundark claw, one leg dangling in mid-air. 

As Anakin made one last plea to Obi-Wan for help, the Master levitated a rock into the side of the enormous beast. Anakin, out of breath, came to a stop next to Obi-Wan, and remarked, " **Well, you took your time.** Were you looking forward to seeing me become gundark chow?"

"Maybe," Obi-Wan responded. "But only a little bit, so it doesn't really count." Together, they buried the creature under a pile of rocks and left it to consider their escape options.

" **It's a pity. I was just starting to sense a connection,** " Anakin joked.

" **Should I leave you two alone?** But then females aren't really your thing. . . too shrill and always trying to tear your heart out. Or would you maybe prefer to find a way out of this hole before she wakes up?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Don't say hole, Master. It gets me all worked up and sweaty to hear you use such uncivilized language," Anakin threw back with a light laugh.

Not needing to mince any more words, the two set to work opening the cave mouth that Count Dooku had collapsed upon his exit. A far-off roar sounded before they had found so much as a crack of daylight or fresh air.

Obi-Wan remarked with no surprise or dread, " **Sounds like another gundark**."

Grunting with the effort of moving rocks, Anakin responded, " **It's too far away to worry about.** "

"That's the problem, Anakin. **It won't stay far away.** It wants to breathe down your neck. And that's my job," Obi-Wan said with a raised eyebrow. Anakin just smiled and shook his head, leaning down to lift another boulder. Obi-Wan stood for a moment imagining how Anakin's muscles were rippling underneath his dirt-streaked tunics.

When the next boulder hit the ground behind them, they felt more rumbling and saw a sickly green gaseous cloud rise from the split in the floor.

" **Uh-oh. New problem,** " Anakin informed his friend.

Obi-Wan's astute observation was " **That's not good.** "

Anakin tried to dismiss the dire nature of the situation. " **It's just gas.** "

" **Yes, probably toxic gas.** "

" **Look on the bright side. Maybe it will kill your gundark.** "

" **And maybe it will kill us** ," Obi-Wan was starting to lose his jovial tone of voice. Then, another loud crashing of rocks, " **What was that?** "

Coughing, Anakin replied, " **I have no idea.** "

When the dust cleared, a clear, bright tone reached their ears, " **Master! Looks like I got here just in time,** " said Ahsoka, standing at the now-open mouth of the cave with several Clone troopers.

Anakin narrowed his eyes at his Padawan, " **What do you mean, just in time?** "

Hands on her hips, as usual, Ahsoka retorted, " **You were in very big trouble.** "

This time, Obi-Wan jumped in to parry the Padawan's strike, " **Trouble? We were simply searching for Count Dooku.** He wasn't in there." Obi-Wan threw a thumb over his shoulder toward the cave.

Sharing the mock indignity with his Master, Anakin said, " **Yeah. We had the situation well under control, my little Padawan.** Nothing that two Jedi couldn't handle."

Now it was Ahsoka's turn to narrow her eyes. She asked, " **Oh, I see. So which part of the situation did you have under control? The blocked entrance? The poison gas? Or that gundark behind you?** " She couldn't help but smile at the last part.

" **Gundark?** " Anakin repeated as he turned around.

" **Oh, you mean the one that's too far away to worry about**?" Obi-Wan added.

Ahsoka ordered the troopers to block the entrance by collapsing it with their blasters. Satisfied that they were no longer in peril, Anakin resumed his stance as upstanding, not flustered or without-lightsaber, Jedi Knight. " **C'mon. There's still Dooku to deal with.** " He got half a step before Ahsoka's voice stopped him again.

" **You let him get away!** " she cried, exasperated and rolled her eyes.

Anakin cringed. **"No, not, get away, exactly. just . . .chime in. Any time,** " he said to Obi-Wan.

" **Oh, no. I'm enjoying this far too much,** " the Jedi Master replied with a twinkle in his eyes.

Anakin clenched his fists and teeth and said, "I know you are. You're positively skipping with glee."

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this eons ago. But because I write everything and post everything from my iPad, I had to manually add all of the bolding. Which was a hassle. But you, my dear readers, are worth the hassle.
> 
> This is all I initially wrote, but I'd be willing to write more if there were a demand. So let me know.


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